Superfast on the Grill

So you're having a summer cookout, and you want to whip up a quick meal for your guests so everyone can hop back into the pool after a grilled bite. Or maybe you are just enjoying the warm weather on a busy weeknight, and you want a grilled meal in no time. These juicy, flavorful recipes—all made in under 25 minutes—will not disappoint at any of your upcoming summer festivities.

So you're having a summer cookout, and you want to whip up a quick meal for your guests so everyone can hop back into the pool after a grilled bite. Or maybe you are just enjoying the warm weather on a busy weeknight, and you want a grilled meal in no time. These juicy, flavorful recipes—all made in under 25 minutes—will not disappoint at any of your upcoming summer festivities.

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June 29, 2009

1 of 38Photo: Jennifer Causey

Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

Brushing healthy fat like olive oil onto sizzling grass-fed steak keeps the lean meat juicy and adds rich flavor. We developed this technique specifically for lean grass-fed steaks. Turn them frequently to cook evenly and prevent the exterior from toughening. Baste after every turn so the sizzling surface stays moist.

Mini Pineapple Pizzas

There is a longstanding argument surrounding the merits of pineapple on a pizza. Here at Cooking Light, not only do we believe in pineapple as a pizza topper, we believe it can be the base too. Look for peeled and cored pineapple in your supermarkets produce aisle for even slicing. Canadian bacon adds salty, savory depth, which cuts the sweetness of the fruit while lending hearty texture. Use any toppings you like – we look to briny black olives, sautéed red onion, and fresh basil for a delicious flavor trifecta. This easy recipe comes together in 20 minutes and is very kid-friendly. Not to mention a genius way to sneak in an extra serving of fruit.

Caesar-Crusted Chicken Salad

Deconstructing a familiar classic is always fun. Here, the anchovy and Parmesan dressing becomes a rub for grilled chicken and the crunch comes from a crisp panko crust instead of croutons. The anchovy adds a briny, savory depth to the chicken that isn’t fishy, but you can omit for a version that’s more kid-friendly. Instead of shredded lettuce, we grill romaine hearts whole for more of a centerpiece, knife-and-fork feel. Most grill pans are made of cast-iron and are oven-safe. If yours is not, or your pan is missing a handle, use a cast-iron skillet instead.

Chicken Thighs With Ginger-Sesame Glaze

Make-ahead tip: Mix up the glaze first thing in the morning, and allow the chicken thighs to marinate all day long in the refrigerator to soak up even more flavor. After that, getting dinner on the table is as simple as heating up the grill pan.

Chicken Pesto Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

It’s seems like portobello mushrooms were just made for stuffing. Not only is this loaded fork-and-knife-entrée easy and cheesy; it's customizable, too. Make it your own with any produce or herbs you already have in your fridge, you can even switch up the protein if you’re feeling like steak or serving a vegetarian guest. If you don’t mind the extra step, homemade pesto takes this dish from great to amazing.

Barbecued Lime Shrimp and Corn

This recipe is designed to cook on a campfire, but you can take the rack out of your grill and put the foil bags on the charcoal for the same effect. Corn and shrimp with deeply flavorful seasonings like lime, soy sauce, honey, and coriander bake and steam in 10 minutes wrapped in foil. You don't even need plates―just tear open the packets and eat straight from them, with a side of French bread for sopping up juices.

Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde

With a wonderfully complex and flavorful sauce like this, the chicken and zucchini need almost no seasoning―just salt, pepper, and the grill's flame. The salsa's combination of tangy, briny, herbal, and nutty flavors is perfect for chicken, pork, fish, or shrimp, especially if they're grilled. To save soaking the skewers for a half an hour, use metal ones instead of wood.

Grilled Corn with Mint Butter

Grilling is the best way to cook corn on the cob; boiling just doesn't deliver the same intense sweetness. This recipe's tangy herbal butter adds layers of flavor to that sweet base. Try this alongside just about any

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Sandwiches with Roquefort Dressing

Tasty grilled eggplant needs strong flavors to stand up to it, and the pungent Roquefort and sweet-savory tomato in this recipe do that job well. Crusty-outside, soft-inside grilled sourdough is the perfect bread to contain everything. For an even more indulgent version of the sandwich, add a couple slices of crisp bacon for a BLT-E.

Grilled Grouper with Basil-Lime Pistou

Pistou is a French version of pesto; this one uses lime in place of pine nuts. It's great on all kinds of fish, chicken, potatoes, or pasta, so make and freeze an extra batch or two. Meaty grouper is a good choice for grilling as it won't flake apart as easily as more delicate types of fish.

Sliders with Shallot-Dijon Relish

With their easy but elegant relish, these mini-burgers would make a statement at any outdoor or summertime party, especially served with a refreshing cocktail. You can also use this same recipe to make four regular-sized burgers.

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26 of 38Randy Mayor

Chicken Sate with Ponzu Sauce

This is a cross-cultural dish: Sate are Indonesian meat skewers, and ponzu is a citrusy Japanese dipping sauce. The two come together here in harmony for a great less-than-15-minute dish. Dress bagged coleslaw mix with a combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil for a great side.

Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers

If you're firing up the grill for dinner, why not make a side on it too? These summer-vegetable skewers cook up in about six minutes, and the olive oil mixture that flavors them is highly customizable―just mix in whatever herbs and spices are seasoning your main course.

There's a lot to love about these sandwiches: the onion and pepper grilled to caramelized perfection, the melt-in-your-mouth medium-rare tuna steaks, the spicy-tangy-creamy mayonnaise, and even the crunchy lettuce leaf on each bun. This dish is a great source of omega-3s and other healthy fats, but it has less than two grams of saturated fat per serving.

Grilled Sirloin Salad

Opposites attract in this dish: hot steak sits atop cold salad, and tender meat contrasts with crunchy vegetables. The basic salad with red wine-lemon vinaigrette is easy and works great, but you can customize the salad with your favorite vegetables (or fruits) and dressing. Just about anything will match the steak.

Pasta and Grilled Vegetables with Goat Cheese

A topping of tangy goat cheese and fresh basil gives this dish a light and fresh feel. It's also a great fridge-clearer, as you can swap in whatever vegetables are on hand―eggplant, summer squash, romaine lettuce, bok choy, sweet onion, and more. No matter what, the cooking takes about 6 minutes.

Grilled Portobello-Goat Cheese Pitas

Every part of this dish―pita, tomato, eggplant (okay, not the goat cheese)―gets its turn on the grill, so smoky, seared flavor abounds. It's a great lunch or appetizer as-is, but you can turn it into a meal by adding sliced grilled chicken breast, steak, or pork.

Pan-Grilled Snapper with Orzo Pasta Salad

Nobody ever said grilling had to happen outdoors. This dish cooks on a grill pan, so you can make it even in the snowy depths of winter (but you can still fire up the charcoal if you want). A citrusy mustard vinaigrette adds big flavor to the orzo, but also pairs well with the char-grilled fish.

Korean Barbecue Burgers

Shake up burger night with this unique sweet-and-salty creation. Add even more flavor by changing up the toppings; try spicy kimchi or sriracha, or crunchy Napa cabbage or water chestnuts. Serve with small plates of kimchi, pickles, and noodles for a more authentic Korean experience.

Spicy Filet Mignon with Grilled Sweet Onion

The king of steaks doesn't need much by way of seasoning, but this mildly spicy rub (add more red pepper if you like it hotter) gives it a little kick to complement the char-grilled flavor. If you've got an extra five minutes or so, let the onion marinate in a little balsamic vinegar before grilling; it's a very nice contrast with Vidalias' sweetness.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

Blanching some of the vegetables before grilling ensures they'll be cooked to perfection, but adds only three minutes to the cooking time. You can also grill the veggies ahead of time and assemble this salad in seconds. The fantastic dressing is sure to become a staple, too; you can put it on anything.

Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa

This recipe is amazingly fast and delivers huge flavor: the perfect combination. A sweet-and-tangy salsa (add a little chopped serrano or jalapeño too if you like it hot) tops flaky and tasty halibut filets that cook to perfection in just six minutes. What's more is the whole dish comes in at less than 300 calories per serving.